Combined window and screen assembly



Feb. 24, 1959 F. O. BERG COMBINED WINDOW AND SCREEN ASSEMBLY Filed March19, 1956 United States Patent 2,814,423 I COMBINED WINDOW'AND SCREENASSEMBLY Forrest 0. Berg, Fox Lake, Ill., asslgnor to ReflectalCorporatlon, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New York Application March19, 1956, Serial No. 572,467

2 Claims. c1. -565 The present invention relates generally to improve:

ments in windows and more particularly to improve-;

between the glass sheets. Such glazing units have been.

found to be particularly effective in diminishing heat loss frombuildings in cold climates and likewise to be effective when it isdesired to maintain a cooler temperature within buildings than prevailsoutside. However, it has been found in modern building structures,

where it is the general practice to employ rather large expanses ofglass and wherein it is rather impractical to provide shading devices,such as roof overhangs, hedges, etc., that during those periods of theyear when the sun is at a low angle relative to the horizon, asubstantial amount of radiation into the building through the glazingunits occurs and in some instances the radiation is suffi' cient toincrease the temperature inside of the buildings to the point of extreme.uncomfortableness. To avoid this undesirable phenomenon the glazingunits are usually shaded in some way or another, such as by awnings orcanopys, for example.

The inherent drawback to multiple glazing units when used in modernbuildings having such largeexpanses of light admitting areas, asmentioned above, has already been recognized and it has been proposed tomount a shade screen, such as is shown in the patent to Ewing, 2,194,222between the two spacedparallel sheets of glass. Various means formounting such shade screen between the glass sheets have been proposedbut heretofore none of these mounting means has proved to beparticularly effective or economical.

The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to providean improved means for mounting shade screen of the type disclosed in theaforementioned patent to Ewing 2,194,222, between two parallel panes ofglass .in such a manner that all of the desirable features of sealedmultiple glazing units are retained and the shade screen is held inposition between the glass panels bymeans which render the overallassembly of the unit.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, shown in section, further illustrating thecorner construction and;

Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the retainer means utilized to hold thescreen in a taut condition between the op posed frame members of theglazing units.

With reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals havebeen utilized to identify identical parts in each of the several views,there is shown in saidfigures a combined window and screen glazing unitillustrated generally by reference numeral 10. The glazing unitcomprises two parallel sheets of glass 11 and 12 and a piece of shadescreen 13 which are mounted in parallel relation with respect to eachother by suitable framing devices indicated generally by referencenumeral 14.

The framing devices 14 together form a substantially.

rectangular frame of suitablesize and each comprises an extruded member15 which is preferably made of aluminum. The extruded aluminum framemembers 15 are each formed with a recess or channel 16 therein which isdefined by a pair of facing projections 17 and 18.'

The projecting portions 17 and 18 are respectively provided withshoulders 19 and 20 and the projecting portions 17 and 18 are disposed asufiicient distance apart to accommodate the screen 13.

The frame members 15 are also each formed with opposed flat surfaces 21and 22 which lie in planes substan-.

tially parallel to the panes of glass 11 and 12 and with outwardlyprojecting abutment shoulders 23 and 24. The

panes of glass 11 and 12, whenfassembled with the framing members 15,are respectively disposed against the fiat surfaces 21 and 22 and withtheir marginal edges respectively seated against shoulders 23 and 24.

It is contemplated, if desired, that a suitable sealing mastic may bedisposed between the glass panes and the Surfaces on the framing members15 and, in order simple and economical and which means provide a qualityproduct.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description thereof, when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a glazing unit of the general type towhich the present invention is particularly applicable;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 ofFig. l and illustrating the structural details of the mounting meanscomprising the subject matter of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially cut away showing theconstruction of a corner of the combined glass and screen glazing units;

to retain the glass panes 11 and 12 in assembly with the framing members15, suitable U-shaped enclosing members 25, which may be formed of anydesired suitable material, are provided which have side portions 26 and27 respectively adapted to hold the panes of glass 11 and 12 rigidlyagainst the framing members 15.

The framing members 15, at each corner of the glazing unit 10, aremitered so as to provide neat corners for the assembly and are joinedtogether by suitable L- shaped members 28 which fit snugly within thechan-v nels or openings 16 in theadjacent framing members 15 in order tohold the framing members in assembly with each other.

The mounting means of the present invention is particularly adapted toretain the top and bottom edges of the screen 13 under the desiredtension between and in assembly with the top and bottom framing members15. The screen 13 may be of any desired type capable of cutting out acertain portion of the light which otherwise would be transmittedthrough the glazing unit, and, in

the present case, the screen is shown as screening material of the typeshown in the patent to Ewing 2,194,222.

This type of screen comprises longitudinally extending parallelribbon-like filler or louver wires.29 which are vers wires 29 and thisprovides a certain amount of longitudinal resilience to the screenwhile, at the same time, maintaining the desired angular relationshipbetween the major surfaces of the ribbon-like filler or louver wires 29and the plane of the screen when the screen is placed under tensionbetween the framing members 15, respectively disposed at the top andbottom of the glazing unit 10.

The edges of the screen 13 are each' disposed Within Patented Feb. 24,19591 the chanriel-16- ofrthe respective framing members 15; however,only the top and-bottom edges or end portions of the screen 13 arepositively retained within the channels 16.

The means for positivelyretaining the top' and bottom end portionsof-the's'creen1-3 within the channels 16'of the top and.bottorn framingmembers15will now be described. Thisfmeans comprises a sinuous lacer-likeretainer element. or member 31. The sinuous lacerlike retainerelement 31is preferably made of some desirablelmetallic"wire formed into a sinuousshape in any desired manner, such as, by running the'wire through a pairvof gears to provide elongated portions 32 alternately'spaced betweenuniformlyspaced 'crest portions 33; The spacerbetween each adjac'entpair of crests 33' isfsubstantially equal to -the space between eachadjacent set ofL'warp wires 30 and it is contemplated that the;laser-like retainer -member 31 ma'y be" assembled with the top andbottom end portions of the screen'13 byinierely pushing theretainer-element 31"bet'w'een" an adjacent'paifof louver wires'29nearthe top and bot tom e'nds of-the screen 13in a manner such that eachp'airof warp wires 30 is received within one'of the crests 33. It willbe noted that the depth of each of the crests 33 is, of the order of twoto three times the width of each louver or filler wire 29 so that whenthe lacer-like retainer 31 is assembled with the end portion of thescreen 13, as shown in Fig. 2, the substantially straight portions 32which join the crests 33 are disposed on one side of thescreen 13 whilethe peaks of the crests'are disposed substantially the' same distancefrom and on the opposite side .of the screen. The straight portions 32and. crests 33 then respectively engage the shoulders 19' and 20' on theprojections 17 and 1S and thus positively prevent the withdrawal of thescreen 13 from the channel 16, inan upward direction, as viewed in Fig.2. i

It will be understood that the upper end portion of the screen 13 willbe assembled with the top frame member. 15 inprecisely the same manneras the lower end of,the.screen 13, may be inserted'into the channels 16-through-the ends'of-the channels 16; The side fra'rne memberslS maythenbe assembled, these being securedto. the top and bottom end framemembers by the L- shapedacorner brackets.28. Thereafter, the panes ofglass 11 and 12 are suitably positioned and the sealingmember'15.ismounted around the entire frame in order tofhold ftheentireassembly together.

It will be understood-that the screen 13 may be positioned within thetop and bottom frame members 15 and thereafter these. frame members canbe spread apart slightly to .provide the desired tension for the screen13. It.will--also be understood that the ends of the louver or fillerwires 29 will be disposed between the projections 17 and 18of the sideframe members 15,'it being unnecsary to provide any positive retentionfor the side edges of-the screen'within the channels of the side framemembersIS.

It'will be further understood that the corner members- 28,-are; adaptedto fit snugly within the channels 16';

4 fications may be made in the present invention without departing fromthe spirit or scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined window and screen assembly, the combination including apiece of screen composed of a plurality of symmetrically" spacedhorizontally extending parallel ribbon-like elements disposed withtheir. major surfaces at a predetermined angle to the normal plane ofthe screen and having a plurality of horizontally spaced, longitudinallyextending supporting elements extending between said parallelribbon-like members, a plurality of interconnected frame membersdisposed around the edges or said-screen, each of said frame membersbeing formed with a longitudinally extending channel opening'inthedirection of the mid-portion of said screen, saidframe memberseachincluding means defining inwardly extending. opposed projectionsalong said channel, for receivingthe respective adjacent edges of thescreen therebetween, lacer-likeretainer means respec tively. providedfor opposedend per ume ofsaid screen having protuberant" portionsdisposed betw'een adjacent pairs of said parallel ribbon-like elements'at the respective end portions of said screen, said lace'r-like'retainer means being respectively disposed within'the channels in theframe members adjacent said opposed end portions of said screen and inholding engagement with said opposed projections for holding said screenunder tension betweensaid frame members, said frame members each furtherincluding means defining outwardly "directed shoulders on opposite sidesthereof respectively facing in the general direction of the mid-portionof said screen,

and a pair of panes of glass respectivelydisposed with' their edges inabutment with said shoulders on said frame members for thereby providinga unitary assembly of said screen and panes of glass.

2. A multiple'glasssheet glazing unit comprising two spaced parallelsheets of glass, substantially rigid frame members disposed around themarginal-portions of said glass sheets with each of said frame membershaving outwardly directed abutment shoulders disposed substantiallynormal to the planes of said glass sheets and having the marginal edgesof said glass sheets seated thereagainst, said frame. members eachincludingmeans for retaining said glass sheets in spaced relation fromeach other, each frame member further including means dcfining alongitudinallyextending recess opening in the direction of themid-portion of said uni't and having in between said parallelribboh-likeelements'and having its terminal edgesirespectively'disposed within saidframe recesses, means comprising lacer -likeretainers'respectivelydisposed atopposed ends of said piece of screenbetween an adjacent pair of saidparallel ribbon-lilac elements at'thesaid respective end portions of said screen and within therespective recesses in the frame members adjacent said opposed endportions of said screen, said lacer-like retainers respectivelyextending beneath said opposed 'facing projections and in holdingengagement" therewith for retaining the screen under tension betweensaid sheets of glass, and interconnected scaling members of asubstantially U-shape cross-section disposed around said-framemembers'and glass sheets for retaining the latter in engagement with theframe members.

References Cited in .the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 72,303,301- Milnor Nov. 24, 1942 2,526,752 Horstmanfet a1, f ot..24,'19s0 2,545,906 Watkins .'.L. Mar. 20,- 1951

